Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

यथायथालघुःस्याद्वैतथाधिकफलप्रदम् एकैकतःफलंप्रोक्तंदशांशैरधिकंबुधैः

The lighter it is, the greater the fruit it bestows; each bead is said by the wise to yield ten times more benefit.

रुद्राक्षधारणंप्रोक्तंपापनाशनहेतवे तस्माच्चधारणीयोवैसर्वार्थसाधनोध्रुवम्

Wearing Rudraksha is prescribed as a means for destroying sin; therefore, it should certainly be worn for accomplishing all aims.

यथाचदृश्यतेलोकेरुद्राक्षफलदः शुभः नतथादृश्यते ऽन्याचमालिकापरमेश्वरि

As the Rudraksha garland is auspicious and fruitful in the world, O Supreme Goddess, so no other garland is seen to be so.

समाःस्निग्धादृढाःस्थूलाःकंटकैःसंयुताःशुभाः रुद्राक्षाःकामदादेविभुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदाः सदा

Rudraksha beads that are smooth, firm, large, and adorned with thorns are auspicious, O Devi, always granting desires, enjoyment, and liberation.

क्रिमिदुष्टंछिन्नभिन्नंकंटकैर्हीनमेवच व्रणयुक्तमवृत्तंचरुद्राक्षान्षड्विवर्जयेत्

One should avoid Rudraksha beads that are infested with worms, broken, split, lacking thorns, wounded, or misshapen.

स्वयमेवकृतद्वारंरुद्राक्षंस्यदिहोत्तमम् यत्तुपौरुषयत्नेनकृतंतन्मध्यमंभवेत्

A Rudraksha bead with a naturally formed hole is considered excellent; one made by human effort is regarded as middling.

रुद्राक्षधारणंप्राप्तंमहापातकनाशनम् रुद्रसंख्याशतंधृत्वरुद्ररूपोभवेन्नरः

Wearing Rudraksha brings the destruction of great sins; if a hundred beads are worn, a person becomes like Rudra in form.

एकादशशतानीहधृत्वायत्फलमाप्यते तत्फलंशक्यतेनैव वक्तुं वर्षशतैरपि

By wearing eleven hundred beads, one attains the fruit; even in a hundred years, that fruit cannot be fully described.

शतार्धेनयुतेः पञ्चशतैर्वै मुकुटं मतम् रुद्राक्षैर्विरचेत्सम्यग्भक्तिमान्पुरुषो वरः

A crown made of five hundred and fifty Rudraksha beads is considered proper; the best devotee should fashion it correctly.

त्रिभिः शतैः षष्टियुक्तैस्त्रिरावृत्त्या तथा पुनः रुद्राक्षैरुपवीतं व निर्मीयाद्भक्तितत्परः

With three hundred and sixty beads, repeated three times, a devotee intent on devotion should make a sacred thread.

शिखायांचत्रयंप्रोक्तंरुद्रक्षाणां महेश्वरि कर्णयोः षट् च षट्चैववामदक्षिणयोस्तथा

Three Rudraksha beads are prescribed for the topknot, O Great Goddess; six each for the left and right ears.

शतमेकोत्तरंकंठेबाह्वोर्वैरुद्रसंख्यया कूर्परद्वारयोस्तत्रमणिबंधेतथापुनः

A hundred and one beads should be worn on the neck and arms according to the number of Rudras; at the elbows, a gem should be tied again.

उपवीतेत्रयंधार्यंशिवभक्तिरतैर्नरैः शेषानुर्वरितान्पञ्चसम्मितान्धारयेत्कटौ

Three sacred threads should be worn by those devoted to Shiva; the remaining beads, counted as five, should be worn at the waist.

एतत्संख्याधृतायेनरुद्राक्षाः परमेश्वरि तद्रूपं तु प्रणम्यंहिस्तुत्यंसर्वैर्महेशवत्

O Supreme Goddess, Rudraksha beads worn in this manner must be honored and praised by all, as one would worship Mahesha.

एवंभूतंस्थितंध्यानेयदाकृत्वासनैर्जनम् शिवेतिव्याहरंश्चैवदृष्ट्वापापैः प्रमुच्यते

When one meditates on such a form, having assumed the proper seat, and utters 'Shiva' upon seeing it, one is freed from sins.

शतादिकसहस्रस्यविधिरेषप्रकीर्तितः तदभावेप्रकारोन्यः शुभः संप्रोच्यतेमया

The prescription for more than a thousand is thus declared; in its absence, another auspicious method is now explained by me.

शिखायामेकरुद्राक्षंशिरसात्रिंशतंवहेत् पञ्चाशच्चगलेदध्याद्बाह्वोः षोडशषोडश

One Rudraksha should be worn in the hair tuft, thirty on the head, fifty on the neck, and sixteen each on the arms.

मणिबंधे द्वादशद्विस्कंधे पञ्चशतंवहेत् अष्टोत्तरशतैर्माल्यमुपवीतंप्रकल्पयेत्

Twelve on the wrist, two on the shoulders, five hundred should be worn; with one hundred and eight, a garland and sacred thread should be arranged.

एवंसहस्ररुद्राक्षान्धारयेद्योदृढव्रतः तंनमंतिसुराःसर्वेयथारुद्रस्तथैव सः

Thus, whoever wears a thousand Rudrakshas with firm discipline, all the gods honor him just as they honor Rudra.

एकंशिखायांरुद्राक्षंचत्वारिंशत्तुमस्तके द्वात्रिंशत्कण्ठदेशेतुवक्षस्यष्टोत्तरंशतम्

One Rudraksha in the hair tuft, forty on the crown, thirty-two at the throat, and one hundred and eight on the chest.

एकैकंकर्णयोः षट्षड्बाह्वोःषोडशषोडश करयोरविमानेनद्विगुणेनमुनीश्वर

One each on the ears, six each on the arms, sixteen each on the forearms, and twice that number on the hands, O lord of sages.

संख्याप्रीतिर्धृयायेनसोपिशैवजनःपरः शिववत्पूजनीयोहिवंद्यस्सर्वैरभीक्ष्णशः

He who wears them with devotion and proper count, even if a Shaiva by birth, is to be worshipped like Shiva and revered by all repeatedly.

शिरसीशानमंत्रेणकर्णेतत्पुरुषेण च अघोरेणगलेधार्यंतेनैवहृदयेपि च

On the head with the Ishana mantra, on the ears with the Tatpurusha mantra, on the neck with the Aghora mantra, and likewise on the heart.

अघोरबीजमंत्रेण करयोर्धारयेत्सुधीः पञ्चदशाक्षग्रथितांवामदेवेनचोदरे

With the seed mantra of Aghora, the wise should wear them on the hands; with the fifteen-syllable mantra of Vamadeva, on the abdomen.

पञ्चब्रह्मभिरंगश्चत्रिमालां पञ्चसप्त च अथवामूलमंत्रेण सर्वानक्षांस्तुधारयेत्

With the five Brahma mantras, thirty garlands and five or seven; or with the root mantra of Vama, one may wear all the beads.

मद्यंमांसंतुलशुनंपलाण्डुंशिग्रुमेव च श्लेष्मांतकं विड्वराहंभक्षणे वर्जयेत्ततः

Wine, meat, garlic, onion, horse gram, phlegm-causing foods, excrement, and boar should be avoided in consumption thereafter.

वलक्षंरुद्राक्षंद्विजतनुभिरेवेहविहितंसुरक्तंक्षत्राणांप्रमुदितमुमेपीतमसकृत् ततोवैश्यैर्धायप्रतिदिवसभावश्यकमहोतथाकृष्णंशूद्रैःश्रुतिगदितमार्गोयमगजे

A hundred thousand Rudrakshas are prescribed for Brahmins, red ones for Kshatriyas, joyful ones for ascetics, and repeatedly drunk ones for Vaishyas; black ones for Shudras, as stated in the scriptures, and elephant ones.

वर्णीवनीगृहयतीर्नियमेनदध्यादेतद्रहस्यपरमोनहिजातुतिष्ठेत् रुद्राक्षधारणमिदंसुकृतैश्चलभ्यंत्यक्त्वेदमेतदखिलान्नरकान्प्रयांति

Those of the four castes, householders, and ascetics should wear them with discipline; this supreme secret should not be abandoned by birth. The wearing of Rudraksha is attained by the virtuous, and abandoning it leads to all hells.

आदावामलकात्स्वतो लघुतरा रुग्णास्ततःकंटकैःसंदष्टाःक्रिमिभिस्तनूपकरणच्छिद्रेण हीनास्तथा धार्यानैव शुभेप्सुभिश्चणकवद्रुद्राक्षमप्यंततोरुद्राक्षोममलिंगमंगलमुमेसूक्ष्मंप्रशस्तंसदा

First, those lighter than amalaki, then those afflicted, bitten by thorns, eaten by worms, or defective by holes in the body, should not be worn by those seeking auspiciousness. Even so, Rudraksha, like chickpeas, at the end, Rudraksha without blemish is always praised as subtle and auspicious.